The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-14
WOMAN GOSSIP.
Mrs. Lothrop's Methods Of Work and Her
Life in Hawthorne's Old Home at Con-
cord.-A Southern Heroine's Bravery
Margaret sidney.

uLeray career, SAYS Wrlter III INC
Boston Record. A member of family
for their love of letters.
although none of them arc writers, her
earliest recollections are of hiding be-
Meath the table and behind the chairs,
where she wrote the most wonder
full fairy tales. These were no sooner
than they were consigned to
tho flames. Thus Throughout her
she was constantly writing
and destroying because of Il conscious
ness of the crudeness of her work. At
length the story of the Five Little
Peppers" seemed to be worthy to see
the light, and it was given to the
world. Margaret Sidney then became
known to the world at once rs an au-
.hor of repute. Subsequent writings
have not dimmed the reputation thus
won.
Mrs. Lothrop, in her literary work,
from the force of circumstances, can
not be said to follow well-deiined
system. Yet there is much about her
method that is of interest. Her time
is so closely occupied with multitude
Of social duties that it is often matter
Of wonder to her friends that sho sue
ceeds in finding the necessary time in
which to perform her literary work.
But she has a remarkable faculty of
The concentration Of mind, and, when
walking or driving, or in the midst of
graver duties, suggestions for stories
and sketches often come into her mind,
which in the next odd moment find
heir way upon paper.
Not only is much of Mrs. Lothrop's
time consumed in social duties, but
work on the executive boards of various
charities occupies much of her attention.
Here, too, does her taste for literary
work find much employment. Her pen
IS frequently busy in the production Of
papers in the interest of the cause of
missions, the Sunday school, and edu-
cational and literary circles. In this
work, which is wholly labor of love,
without reward except such as comes
from consciousness of well-doing,
Mrs. Lothrop takes great delight, and
always responds to all demands upon
her pen, to the exclusion even of work
which might add to her literary rcputa'
ton.
1t is not little curious that strong
as are many Of Mrs. Lothrop's char
acters none of them are sketches from
life, but are rather portraits of types of
human nature. An example of this is
seen in Judith Pettibone, strong,
decisive character, who is seen still
IN many New England country
home. The race which found its
inception among puritan settlers,
gifted with strong common sense, a
rigid regard for the right according to
biblical rule, tender conscience. and a
arge heart to feel for human ills has
by no means become extinct. Soften
I'd by education, literature, and tho re-
lining influences of city life, which now
extend to the most remote hamlets, the
Judiihs of to-day have lost the quaint
dialect which distinguished them a
century ago. Indeed, Mrs. Lothrop' 5
Judith herself has felt this refining in
auence lct the sturdy puritan flavor
fingers about these New England types
If character
Il is to the study of types, then, that
Mrs. Lothrop devotes herself, and not
% TIE task of photographing before
he view of her readers the character
sites of especial persons who may have
attracted her attention.
In nor poctical work Mrs. Lothrop
works with extreme care anG caution.
An idea for poem suggests itself to
ner mind. In a nebulous form alone
I first appears. Little by little. as her
mind dwells upon it, the form appears
more distinct and fully defined. In a
stray moment it is committed to paper;
hurridly. porhaps, aud laid aside for
few days. Then, when the glow of
composition has passed away, the poem
s brought out trimmed, pruned. and
polished and again laid away for a
lime. Again and again is this process
repeated, until after. perhaps the tenth
revision she regards the poem as final
" complete. aud passes it to the pub
fishers hands.
An interesting fact in connec ton